Criticism essay Mad Woman in the Attic. Sandra Guilbert and Susan Gubar.
The Madwoman in the Attic by Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar Introduction: Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar's The Madwoman in the Attic (1979) was hailed as a path breaking work of criticism. Both were concerned about 19 th century woman and how her role was based on her association with the symbols of angels, monsters or sometimes both. "And the lady of the house was seen only as she appears in each room, according to the nature of the lord of the room. None saw the whole of her". Angel and monster: Women are portrayed in literature as one of the binary opposites, 'monstrous' or 'angelic'. Women who came forward to fight were considered a monster, a witch, bitch or a fiend by male writers. The ‘Angel’ position was given to a woman who remained submissive. Thus the male writers traditionally praises the simplicity of the dove (Angel ) and invariably castigate the cunningness of the serpent (monster). The Angel in the House: Asse...